Cabinet reshuffle in J&K likely
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Dec 8 — Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah is said to be contemplating a major reshuffle in the Council of Ministers and in the state administration, particularly the police. Sources close to him reveal that the Chief Minister has already prepared a blueprint for the reshuffle and he may discuss the matters with his Cabinet shortly.

Though he may not drop more than two ministers, he plans to reshuffle the portfolios of several. Hitherto, he had withstood pressure from within and outside the ruling National Conference circles to drop the Housing and Urban Development Minister, Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, who was recently expelled from the Congress on the charge of anti-party activities. Of late, Dr Abdullah has been conveyed a clear message by senior Congress leaders in Delhi that Molvi Ansari should be dropped as he has "damaged" the party in the state.

The Molvi has been facing tedious moments on account of two developments. One, Ansari Motors, a company owned by Molvi's close relations, has been declared a sales tax defaulter. Second, the Molvi had ordered the demolition of two houses unauthorisedly constructed by Mr Ajat Shatru, Minister for Information, in Srinagar. The demolition brought the two ministers on a collision course.

Sources say the Chief Minister does not want to lose the services of Molvi Ansari who has proved a dynamic minister and has shown results while heading the Housing and Urban Development Department. But, according to reports, Congress leaders are persistent in their demand for seeing his ouster and have made it a major condition for building bridges between the Congress and the National Conference.

The Chief Minister is reportedly unhappy with the performance of several ministers and ministers of state. He may reshuffle the portfolios. Mr Ali Mohammad Sagar, even after being elevated to the rank of Cabinet Minister, is said to be not quite happy with leading the Public Health Engineering Department. Between 1996 and 1998 Mr Sagar had functioned as Minister of State for Home and had been instrumental in launching a forceful political campaign against militants. In fact, he was the first senior National Conference Minister who dared the militants in their downtown dens in Srinagar city. The Chief Minister is likely to give him a more important portfolio.

In the reshuffle and expansion of the Council of Ministers in June, Dr Farooq Abdullah had ignored the claim of Mr Ajay Sadhotra, Minister of State for Food Supplies, for a berth in the Cabinet. It is learnt that the Chief Minister is satisfied with Mr Sadhotra’s performance and he may be elevated to the Cabinet rank.

The idea behind the proposed Cabinet shake-up is to reduce the size of the 30-member Council of Ministers to save the burden on the exchequer in the light of the continued cash crunch. But the Chief Minister may not be able to drop many from the Council of Ministers. Each day the size of the dissident camp in the National Conference is increasing.

As far as the shake up in the state administration and the police is concerned several officers of the rank of Additional Chief Secretary and Commissioner will swap places. In addition to this, six senior officers may be sent on deputation to the Centre. Two senior non-state subject IAS officers in the Civil Secretariat are said to have conveyed to the Chief Minister their desire to be sent on deputation to the Centre as they feel "choked" with the attitude of some ministers.

The Chief Minister is said to have told his trusted colleagues in the ruling National Conference that he plans to carry out a major shake-up in the police in which more than six IGs, eight DIGs and 12 SSPs will be moved. Some honest and dedicated police officers have earned the displeasure of certain ministers following their refusal to transfer inspectors or SHOs from rural areas to the summer and the winter capitals.

These senior officers have reacted strongly to the direct interference in their working by the ministers. Initially, this was welcomed by the Chief Minister but of late he has been influenced by some of his ministerial colleagues to shift some IGs and DIGs to areas where they will have no direct interaction with the people.

It is yet to be seen whether the Chief Minister’s plan for a reshuffle in the Cabinet and the police will be for the benefit of the people or simply to appease the ministers.